Sometimes, you just look at the newspaper, watch the news channels or listen to the radio, and can't believe what you're reading, watching or hearing.

In other words, I can't believe human beings can be that stupid.

Let's take some items that have been in the news during the past week. Wild animals, for example. And no, I'm leaving Arnold Schwarzenegger alone for another day.

We read from Anchorage, Alaska, where a "self-taught bear expert who once called Alaska's brown bears harmless" was one of two people fatally mauled in a bear attack in the Katmai National Park and Preserve.

Now, let that sink in for a minute. Who in the world considers himself not just an expert on something, but a "self-taught BEAR expert?" And, this 46-year-old Malibu, Calif., native had the audacity to believe that an Alaska brown bear was "harmless?"

This is a man who was the co-author of the book, "Among Grizzlies: Living With Wild Bears in Alaska," for Pete's sake, and spent more than 12 summers living alone with and videotaping Katmai bears.

What do I think happened? Some bear this man and woman came up on along had read the book, read the cutesy little passage about being harmless, and showed him exactly how harmless he was.

While the victims' bodies were being removed, the alleged "harmless" bear was shot several times by one law enforcement agent. Another bear showed up in an aggressive manner and was also killed by authorities.

Treadwell was known for his confidence around bears, a previous report indicated. He often touched them and gave them names. Once he was filmed crawling along the ground singing as he approached a sow and two cubs. Over the years, Park Service officials, biologists and others expressed concern about his safety and the message he was sending.

That same year Treadwell was a guest on the "Late Show with David Letterman," describing Alaska brown bears as mostly harmless "party animals."

Sorry, Mr. Treadwell. They are not "party" animals, but wild animals. That is exactly my point today. Wild animals are exactly that, and should not be approached by someone or something that isn't considered wild. Period. Need some more examples?

A New York native who nearly got killed by one of a few traditionally wild animals should consider himself lucky to be alive, but instead, wants his pet kitty back.

The "pet" kitty, by the way, happened to be a 400-pound Siberian-Bengal tiger that gnawed on his arm and leg and was later tranquilized by New York's finest outside the Harlem apartment where the idiot lives.

Antoine Yates, who was released without bail Tuesday, explained that the tiger didn't really attack him last week, but got confused and the owner got caught in the crossfire. See, the tiger saw another cat - a domestic cat that is normally used as a household pet - and the owner had to intervene.

Did we mention that the 31-year-old tiger bait specimen told hospital personnel he had been bitten by a pit bull, and then fled to Philadelphia? That's called lying and fleeing apprehension, folks. Regardless, Yates faces a charge of reckless endangerment and two counts of possession of a wild animal. Conviction for reckless endangerment carries a sentence of up to seven years.

Both the tiger, and 5-foot-long alligator - yes, authorities also found an alligator in the fifth-floor apartment - were removed to wild animal sanctuaries. Did you get that? Moved to wild animal sanctuaries, not to somebody else's apartment or back yard.

These occurrences with wild animals brings back a similar invasion of bears into the state of Arkansas earlier this year. People in Atkins were surprised to see a small bear running around their community, which was later tranquilized and had to be put down before it was transported to the northern part of Pope County.

Remember that a citizen was bitten by the bear? Remember all the people and children running around from house to house, further scaring the bear to death? How about remembering what happened to illusionist Roy Horn last weekend after a Siberian tiger he has owned for 61/2 years did what it thought it was supposed to do, and nearly ended up with the entertainer's death.

Roy, of the popular "Siegfried & Roy" show in Las Vegas, has admitted that the "attack" wasn't that at all, but the tiger instinctively tried to move Roy out of harm's way when he thought his owner was injured. The tiger was doing what it had been trained to do, in a controlled environment, for years. Hopefully, Roy will recover and the two will continue to conserve exotic tigers and other animals for future generations to enjoy. That's what they've done since they escaped Nazi Germany decades ago.

Let's leave the wild animals alone, eh? Let them be, and they will let us be. Don't believe in someone who proclaims himself to be a "self-taught expert" in bears, wild animals or anything. There are game and fish and wildlife personnel who have trained and worked with such animals for years.

And, please, never believe a wild animal is okay just because it's young. Call law enforcement or wildlife authorities. Let's enjoy such animals the way they enjoy us - from a safe distance.